Teaching For Diversity

Overview Argument For Socially Just Teaching

Of Mathematics
Mathematics in the classroom, like any subject and lesson should be
taught in a way that is socially just. Social justice in mathematics, as
equity for all students, thus allowing them to be engaged and feel
as though they are becoming mathematicians who belong to school
and community mathematics contexts. If teachers are able to create
a socially just mathematics classroom, their students will value and
achieve in mathematics. Jorgensen & Niesche (2008, p. 21) state
processes of exclusion operate to disadvantage students along
social class, race and gender lines. This statement serves to
provide further support to the idea that children need to face equity
in the classroom, despite the differences between them, in order to
achieve. In the mathematics classroom, there are two key factors
that influence the learning environment. Expectations set by
teachers and students, for example, a student who views
themselves as a failure in mathematics is not going to work to
achieve any higher than this. Ability of students sets the
framework for students believing they can or cant do well in
mathematics, thus a student who is told they are good at
mathematics is going to feel much more confident than one who is
not told so, or is even told they are bad. (Jorgensen & Niesche,
2008) For teachers, this means that the more equal and more fairly
students are treated, the more likely they are to achieve their
potential in the mathematics classroom. There are many ways
teachers are able to differentiate the curriculum in order to create a
socially just classroom. Problem solving, technology and
collaboration are all resources that are used widely in mathematics,
and can provide educators opportunities to create rich, socially just
lessons. When teachers consider factors that may influence their
students learning and development, such as gender and cultural
background, they will be more able to take into account the
diversity of their classroom. This will allow teachers to understand
their students and create the best possible lessons for them.

Problem Solving As A Tool For Differentiating

The Curriculum
Problem solving is defined by Bobis, Mulligan & Lowrie (2013) as
when children choose, interpret, formulate, model and investigate
problems, then communicate and verify their solutions. It is
essential to teaching mathematics, and is a strategy that is learned
and taught in all classrooms. Despite its prominence and
importance, sometimes incorporating differentiation into problem

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solving lessons can cause trouble for some teachers. Williams

presents a range of problem solving task in which challenges exist
for all ability levels, [and] different aspects of the investigation
challenge different students. (1996, p. 9) Teachers should consider
approaches to planning that enable all learners to engage in
mathematics lessons, experiencing the same tasks and joining in
the mathematics conversation of the classroom. (Siemon, Beswick,
Brady, Clark, Faragher, & Warren, 2011)

Technology As A Tool For Engagement

Technology has become an unmoving, while ever-changing, fixture
in classrooms. Teachers and students have come to rely on
technology for many areas of learning, in particular the engagement
of students. (Ozel, Yetkiner, & Capraro, 2008) Despite the excellent
resource technology provides, teachers must be aware that the
same deep thought process and planning must go into the use of
technology in the classroom, the same way it would for any other
lesson. Teachers also need to gain the technological knowledge
needed to effectively implement ICT into their lessons, along with
the content and pedagogical knowledge that would have used
otherwise. Technology can be used in the classroom in many ways,
which can be categorised under four headings, technology as a
business resource, as a subject, as content delivery and as lesson
support. Teachers should not only plan the technological resources
they will use in their lesson, but plan exactly how they will be used.
(Bitter & Legacy, 2008) Technology is used in many classrooms in a
huge variety of ways. Interactive whiteboards are one resource that
is common across many schools in Australia, and is an excellent way
for teachers to engage students in a whole group lesson, while
implementing technology in a subtle but useful way. Most students
also have access to computers and iPads, which allow them to work
through online activities, and mathematics based games and
applications. These resources can be used by teachers to both
differentiate lessons quickly and easily, and engage students in new
technologies that they are experienced in using and enjoy.
Figure 1: Technology
Technology as lesson support
The use of the web page Rainforest Maths is an excellent
resource to use in the classroom, for a wide range of diverse
learners. The resource has many different tasks, which can be
chosen by level of difficulty or area of learning. The web page is
accessible to students through an iPad or computer, and can be
accessed by the teacher on the IWB in order to model the task, or
as a resource for a whole group activity.
Information sourced during professional experience at Osbornes
Flat Primary School.

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Figure 1 discusses the way technology can be implemented simply

in the classroom. Students and teachers are both able to access
resources such as these, and will thus be able to plan and use them
in lessons. The use of resources similar to that outlined in Figure 1 is
common to many classrooms, and has enabled many teachers to
engage their students with the use of technology.

Collaboration As A Tool For Effective Problem

Solving
Having students work cooperatively, competitively or
individualistically has important implications for the success of math
instruction. (Johnson & Johnson, 1990, p. 103) Yackel, Cobb and
Wood (1991) discuss an experiment undertaken in a second grade
classroom, in which they added a high level of collaborative
activities to the mathematics teaching for an entire year. Each onehour lesson consisted of around 25 minutes of small group problem
solving, 25 minutes of whole class discussion and 10 minutes of
introductory teaching. Some examples of the benefits of
collaboration found during the experiment include students being
able to [make] sense of situations in terms of their current
concepts and procedures, [they were noted to be] accounting for a
surprise outcome, verbalising their mathematical thinking,
explaining or justifying a solution, [finding] alternative solution
methods and formulating an explanation to justify another childs
solution attempt. (Yackel, Cobb, & Wood, 1991, p. 395) Learning is
fundamentally a social process (Gray, 1990) and though the use
of collaboration as a strategy for all learning areas is important, its
use in problem solving during mathematics is certain.
Figure 2: Collaboration

Sourced from: Teaching Numeracy (Pearse & Walton, 2009)

Figure 2 demonstrates the simplicity of using collaboration in the
mathematics classroom. While this lesson begins with students
working independently, they are able to share their work with their

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partner, thus developing a wider knowledge base, than had they

worked solely alone.

Consideration Of Gender In Collaborative,

Technology-Based Learning
As teachers, understanding the differences in teaching boys and
girls in vital to successful classroom management and learning.
Boys and girls are different. One is not better than the other; they
are just different. As a result, we can expect that a difference exists
in how boys and girls learning the way they learn. (Geist & King,
2008) These differences affect both genders in learning, and in
particular collaborative, technology based learning. In mathematics,
often girls have less confidence in their [mathematical] abilities
than boys despite no gender differences in measured
[mathematical] achievement. (Watt, 2007, pp. 37 - 38)
Understanding this, along with the teaching strategies outlined in
Figure 4 should effectively assist teachers in developing a stronger
learning plan for both boys and girls in the classroom.
Figure 3: Gender
Strategies for assisting boys and girls to learn mathematics
Girls:
Include group work, opportunities for discussion in both small groups
and whole-class setting and contexts of interest to girls.
Provide assessment opportunities that allow for a variety of
responses.
Ensure contexts are understood.
Use contextual tasks; include tasks that show the value of
mathematics to the solution of social problems and verbal and
linguistic approaches.
Engage learners with problems set in real contexts.
Boys:
Structure activities and assignments, with long deadlines.
Assist learners to break tasks into achievable steps.
Check homework regularly.
Employ clearly defined objectives and instructions.
Ensure all students in the class are clear about what they are
required to do.
Put the tasks on the whiteboard to ensure they are retrievable.
Set short-term challenging tasks.
Include tasks with a focus of mathematical thinking for all learners in
the class.
Adapted from: Teaching Mathematics: Foundation to Middle Years
(Siemon, Beswick, Brady, Clark, Faragher, & Warren, 2011, p. 157)
While using collaboration in the classroom, especially in technologybased learning, noting the differences in gender must not be
underestimated. Figure 3 highlights the importance of providing
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female learners with opportunities for group work, while male

learners do not benefit as greatly from this strategy. Thus while
female learners will gain valuable skills from working collaboratively,
with ICT, perhaps using short individualised tasks on computers or
iPads would be more suitable for males.

Consideration Of Culture, Multilingual

Students In Mathematics Teaching
In every classroom, a teacher will be responsible for a range of
students, with a range of backgrounds and abilities. Students may
have an Indigenous or non-English speaking background, a mental
or physical disability or be other exceptional students, meaning
students whom are not the norm, for example gifted and talented or
those with learning difficulties. Considering the impact of a students
culture on their learning is necessary in understanding the needs of
that student. Mathematics is sometimes assumed to be culturefree, and students lack of understanding is thought to be caused
by a lack of ability. Indigenous students have prior mathematical
experiences that they bring to the classroom, though sometimes
their teacher may overlook these, as they do not meet the teachers
expectations. Valuing students prior learning and experiences, or
funds of knowledge will allow all students to find success in the
mathematics classroom. If current mathematics teaching remains
unchanged, pedagogy will tend to reproduce social inequalities of
achievement and subordinate individual development to social
domination for Aboriginal children. (Teese, 2000)

Conclusion On Socially Just Teaching

Practices In Mathematics
The importance of catering for all students needs, learning styles
and abilities within the classroom is paramount to providing a
socially just learning environment. When a teacher is able to take
the diversity of their classroom into consideration when planning
lessons, and using collaboration, technology and problem solving in
teaching mathematics, they are able to best achieve a fair and
equal ground for all students to reach their potential.

References
Bitter, G. G., & Legacy, J. M. (2008). Planning and developing
technology-rich instruction. In Using technology in the classroom
(pp. 162 - 193). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Bobis, J., Mulligan, J., & Lowrie, T. (2013). Mathematics for Children:
Challenging children to think mathematically. Frenchs Forest:
Pearson Australia.

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Geist, E. A., & King, M. (2008). Different, not better: Gender

differences in mathematics learning and achievement. Journal of
Instructional Psychology , 35 (1), 43 - 52.
Gray, B. (1990). Natural language learning in Aboriginal classrooms:
Reflections on teaching and learning style for empowerment in
English. In C. Walton, & W. Eggington, Language: Maintenance,
power and education in Australian Aboriginal Contexts (pp. 105 139). Darwin: Northern Territory University Press.
Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (1990). Using cooperative learning in
math. In N. Davidson, Cooperative learning in Mathematics: A
handbook for teachers (pp. 103 - 125). Menlo Park, Calif: AddisonWesley.
Jorgensen, R., & Niesche, R. (2008). Equity, mathematics and
classroom practice: Developing rich mathematical experiences for
disadvantaged students. Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom
, 14 (4), 21 - 27.
Ozel, s., Yetkiner, Z. E., & Capraro, R. M. (2008). Technology in K - 12
Mathematics Classrooms. School Science and Mathematics , 108 (2),
80 - 85.
Pearse, M. M., & Walton, K. M. (2009). Appendix A: Sample Lesson 1:
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Critical Habits to Ignite. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Corwin.
Siemon, D., Beswick, K., Brady, K., Clark, J., Faragher, R., & Warren,
E. (2011). Teaching Mathematics: Foundation to Middle Years. South
Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Teese, R. (2000). Academic success and social power. Carlton, VIC:
Melbourne University Press.
Watt, H. G. (2007). A trickle from the pipeline: Why girls underparticipate in maths. Professional Educator , 6 (3), 36 - 41.
Williams, G. (1996). Unusual connections: Maths through
investigation. Brighton, VIC: Gaye Williams.
Yackel, E., Cobb, P., & Wood, T. (1991). Small-group interactions as a
source of learning opportunities in mathematics. Journal for
Research in Mathematics Education , 22 (5), 390 - 408.

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